News & Reviews:   SmartWatch

Wearable tech continues to grow, and while Google Glass and smartwatches are the main devices to watch, some other independent developers are creating their own wearable technology as well. The ION Glasses is one of them and features LED-based notifications that only you will see or understand and Bluetooth remote control capabilities. You also won't be noticed as everything has been built into the frame of a normal pair of glasses which can fit prescription lenses, sunglasses and most standard glasses lenses. The way it works is that you set the colour of the LED light according to the notification in the app on your smartphone, perhaps green for an email notification. When you get email on your smartphone or tablet, the LED light will blink and let you know you've got mail. There are 256 colours to choose from and you can also use the built-in buttons on the right side of the frame to remote control your smartphone or tablet, perhaps to take a picture, go to the next slide or listen to music.

Every day another smartwatch prototype comes up, especially from crowd-funding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. After the Pebble smartwatch started it, we've seen quite a few other Bluetooth connected smartwatches, but only a few which can stand on their own without having to rely on accompanying smartphones. The A.I. Watch is one of them as it allows you to make and accept calls, is powered by Android, is water-proof and has a functional 5MP camera. Since you can insert a SIM card, the A. I. Watch is practically a smartphone with tech specs that include a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM, 1.54-inch (240 x 240) touchscreen, 500 mAh battery, 4GB of storage, WiFi, GPS and Android 4.0.4. Unfortunately, it is still in prototype stage, and needs $100000 on an Indiegogo campaign to reach mass production. If it does become successful, each watch could cost $279 (RM909) but if it manages to break it's goal, the makers are promising other stuff like 1GB of RAM (for $500000) or a bigger battery. No exact Malaysia release dates but as of the time of writing, the watch has another 41 days before it has to reach it's pledged goal of $100000. Check out the video in the article.

Samsung have confirmed that the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch will soon be compatible with the Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S III smartphones. The news comes courtesy of Lee Young-hee, Executive Vice President for Marketing of Samsung who stated that the S4 would be compatible by end of October 2013. The Note II and Galaxy S III on the other hand will be compatible by end of December. This compatibility hinges on the smartphones getting their Android 4.3 updates which will then enable the Bluetooth 4.0 LE support required by the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch to work. As mentioned earlier, the Samsung Galaxy Gear has an RRP of RM999 in Malaysia although it can be acquired for free as a combo deal with certain local telcos. In related news, Samsung will be working on apps or a user experience to make the Gear smartwatch pop more as they acknowledge that the smartwatch "lacks something special".

While Celcom has already come out with it's Samsung Galaxy Note 3 bundles, those were for 24-month contracts. Looking to add a few more options for their bundles, Celcom have recently added on 12 and 18 month contracts starting from RM1888 and RM1748 respectively. Users still sign up using the Celcom First Prime, Celcom First Premier and Celcom First Elite plans but add on 1GB or 3GB of mobile internet. Other advantages of the lower contract period include a lower advance payment. Check out the details and links in the article.

Celcom has also come out with their deals on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch combo. This time the Note 3 is being offered from RM1538 with the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch only available for free for the first 100 who confirm a booking of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 with Celcom. To get the deal, you have to sign up for a 24-months contract with the Celcom First plans and an mPro 88 data plan. Check out the full details in the article.

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 pre-orders are opening up and DiGi is currently offering the smartphone from RM1319 with a free Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch for DG SmartPlan 148 subscribers. The Note 3 is still available by itself for other Smart Plan postpaid subscribers but all of them are under a 24 month contract. According to earlier reports, DiGi may only have limited stock of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch so if you want the RM999 smartwatch free, now is the time. For more details check out the table and other details in this article.

Before the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch was revealed, the hype machine put out all sorts of rumours that it would be the wearable tech device to beat, especially since Apple's iWatch isn't due until mid 2014. However, when it was revealed it didn't really get the sort of dominating presence Samsung were hoping for especially since the smartwatch can't last more than a day on a single charge. While in terms of features it does lead the pack, the fact that it currently only works with the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has made things worse for the smartwatch. Rumours have it that the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch is currently under development and should be revealed during CES 2014 in January. These rumours claim that the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch may come with a GPS, better battery life and be able to connect to all Android smartphones. No Malaysia pricing or release dates just yet but we're guessing that the price won't be far off from the original Gear which retailed at $299 (RM981).

Updated (20-9-2013):-

Samsung Malaysia have just released the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch at a local launch event held today in Malaysia. It marks the availability of the Galaxy Gear smartwatch in Malaysia from 25 September 2013 at RM999. The smartwatch comes with a number of features and tech specs which include an 800 MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB storage, 1.9MP backside-illuminated camera, 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display with 320 x 320 resolution, accelerometer, gyroscope, pedometer, microphone, speakers and 315 mAh battery for up to 25 hours of use on a single charge. The Galaxy Gear is also IP55 rated so it can stand a little dust and water.

Please check out the Samsung Galxy Note 3 Malaysia release date and info.

They may be just accessories for now, but smartwatches mark the trend for the next step of mobile computing devices in the form of wearable computers. While development on smartwatches have been on for the past couple of years, most of it has involved independent developers like the creators of the Pebble smartwatch which crowdfunded it's development. Quite recently, better known tech companies have taken a crack at it with the Sony SmartWatch 2, the Samsung Galaxy Gear and the Qualcomm Toq. Which one reigns supreme and which one would we buy? Read on and find out. 

Nissan is entering the smartwatch fray with their Nismo Watch, designed to complement users of their performance Nismo cars. While it isn't an actual product just yet, it is a concept complete with a mock-up which certainly sounds intriguing. The smartwatch connects to the smartphone via Bluetooth while the smartphone is connected to the car via a dashboard insert. It will then get driving information such as speed, fuel performance and other stats along with your heartrate and other biometrics so you can stay frosty while taking that hairpin turn at 120km per hour. So far, the designs seem to show that this smartphone will be an Apple iPhone, but it doesn't say for sure if it will be iOS exclusive. The design of the watch is futuristic to say the least, and rather than watch, looks more like a bracelet. It could be using a flexible display but since it doesn't show it actually bending or anything we'll wait for more information. Check out the video and interview regarding the Nissan Nismo Watch here.